Each of these 5 students earned a scholarship from Google and Udacity, and they’ve used their opportunities to achieve incredible things in their lives and their careers.

Back in 2017, Google Scholarships launched in India with a mission to help 30,000 students pursue their dreams of venturing into mobile and web development. Today, so many exceptional students have earned new opportunities for themselves through the Udacity-Google Scholarship program. Their stories are amazing, and we share five of them with you here.

Suparna Dey

Suparna is from West Bengal, India. She is the eldest of three children, and today, she is a mother herself, with a 4-year-old son. She comes from a background in which female education is considered sinful, and Suparna had to overcome incredible obstacles in order to complete her formal education. She had to face the objections of her family, and challenge repressive societal expectations, in order to create an independent identity for herself. But she persevered, and after completing her Master’s, Suparna found a life partner who supported her goals and ambitions. In 2016 however, her son fell critically ill, and she stopped working in order to care for him. Returning to the workforce was difficult—technology moves so fast, and she didn’t know how to fit back into the job market. But as a Google Developer Scholarship recipient, she is now engaged in an intensive learning program, and looking forward to using her new skills not just in her own life, but to uplift others in situations similar to what she’s had to overcome.

Surondesh Daulagupu

Surondesh Daulagupu comes from a small town in Assam called Langting. By the time he reached the 11th grade, his life was already on a troublesome path. He had addiction problems, and he failed his 12th board exams. There was no going back to fix the problems he’d caused for himself, and with a poor scorecard, there were no opportunities ahead for him to get into a good undergraduate college. Things could have gotten much worse, but instead, Surondesh had an epiphany—he realized he needed to break free once and for all from his past, and from his problems. He committed to learning on his own, and started studying Android development with Udacity. As he learned new skills, his confidence grew. He decided to try and earn a Google Developer Scholarship, and was successful! Today, he is honing his Android developer skills, and looking forward to landing a good job. Genuine transformation isn’t easy, but Surondesh shows us it’s possible.

Rajani M

There are so many amazing learners in the Google Developer Scholarship program, but Rajani stands out. She is the oldest person to earn one of these opportunities, and is a true inspiration. After her father’s death, Rajani had to financially support her mother. She worked hard, but she wanted to start a family herself, and becoming a mother meant consequences for her career. She knew though, that she would return to work one day, and In 2016, she decided it was time to restart her career as a developer. It was challenging, but she was determined. Unfortunately however, within just two weeks, she began to suffer debilitating back pain that prevented her from sitting, standing, or traveling. She was confined to bed, and once again, her career journey came to a halt. Despite the setbacks, her spirit remained strong, and when opportunity in the form of a Udacity Google Scholarship came along, she seized it, as a means to advance her career without sabotaging her health. Today, she’s an Android expert, with a new lease on life.

Ruhan Khandaker

Ruhan was never able to attend college—obligations to his family prevented that. He had no technical background, and no formal degree. But that wasn’t going to stop Ruhan. He believed in himself, and was determined to find a way to build a technology career for himself. It was this fierce determination that led him to Udacity, where he began building his foundational skills in Python programming. He loved what he was learning, and kept his eyes out for new opportunities. When he learned about the Google Developer Scholarship, he recognized the chance to take a significant step forward on his journey. Today, Ruhan is already in Phase 2 of the scholarship program. And not only is he learning new skills, he’s helping others in the scholarship community progress through their studies!

Piyush Kant Maav

Piyush always knew he wanted to be a coder, but it seemed an unlikely goal. His father worked in a local garment shop as a salesman, making just enough to feed the family. But Piyush was undaunted. He believed he had what it takes, and that there were opportunities for him out there somewhere. He started learning basic programming skills online in a local cybercafé. He was a quick study, and launched his first website when he was in Class 10th. He had high hopes as far as getting into a great college, but an unforeseen family crisis depleted what little money they had, and Piyush had to settle for a local engineering college. He was able to learn a bit more, but quickly ran short on the resources he really needed to advance his skills. When he discovered the Google Developer Scholarship, he knew it was the chance he’d been dreaming of. Since earning the scholarship, his work ethic has impressed everyone, and he has earned a reputation as being one of this most active contributors in the Front-End Developer track of the Google Scholarship.

It is such an honor to be a part of the wonderful journeys our students have embarked upon. The Google Developer Scholarship is more than just a scholarship—it is a means for people to achieve their dreams, regardless of their backgrounds. With their passion, perseverance, and determination, these lifelong learners prove that success is possible when you face your fears, follow through on your goals, refuse to give up. Congratulations to all!